Spotted Dick in Zurich

[cheesephan]

Not a happy bunny when obliged to chase for Bettini - has he forgotten the work Paulo did towards his KoM?

[JereBear]

c'm on.

Last week in San Sebastian Virenque was seen doing great work for Bettini.

Yesterday I think Bettini was already thinking ahead, and creating himself a super-motivated Italian super-domestique for Hamilton. There were more
QS guys who could have chases Nardello , had they wanted to.

[harryh00d]

He did look singularly uninterested. Perhaps Bettini and QS just didn't care much about the win. Ullrich has finished 2nd in Zurich four times, once less than his second place finishes in the Tour.

[JereBear]

Ewoud Dronkert schreef:

I didn't hear that. How good is his Italian ?

[cz8s]

Do you mean, while Rasmussen was in front?

Perhaps, when Nardello was in front, Bettini was not too interested to catch him. They rode in the same team for a long time, and might be friends.

Few impressions from the the race. It was very hot (like in the previous
3 years in Zürich). When the group of 4 were in the front, at the places
I could see them (twice each round, we could ride between the places with the bikes) always Bianchi and Saeco riders were in the front of the peloton. In the last 2 rounds, I always saw Bettini and Ullrich very near of the front, and I think twice Hincapie.

PVP was minutes behind in the second last round accompanied by one team mate, so he obviously gave up (had to) ambitions for the World Cup.

There were more observers than in recent years. One could not always get a place in the first row.

I could watch the finish in a TV placed in a snack bar at the route. That
TV was crowded ...

Finally, Jan has a big talent, to become the new Pou Pou. I wonder, how he felt for his second place. He did some cheering while crossing the finish line. 10 minutes earlier, one could see him not very pleased, shaking his head several times (he did some work, to catch another group, but nobody seemed to want to help). All in all, I think only the situation with Nardello in front would give him a chance for the second place.

[phishstx27]

I don't think Bettini speaks to Kaschechkine (sp?) in Italian

[Stylogenus]

Did you hear Boogerd comment on Canvas? He said he thought ("volgens mij") he heard Bettini spur on his team mates to chase, but that they just couldn't anymore. However, (I agree about the Hamilton scenario)
even if that was the case then Bettini could most likely have reacted himself.